Tuesday, December 11th, 2018
Michael Woods Sport and Leisure Centre
SPFL Reserve League 2 Cup
BERWICK RANGERS RESERVES 6 STIRLING ALBION RESERVES 2

First teamer Jamie Todd returned to action after a near ten week injury lay off to help Berwick Reserves turn the tables on Stirling Albion. Last month, the Binos won 7-2 in the League on their own Forthbank Astro surface. This time, it was Berwick’s home game but with SPFL 2 games on Shielfield on successive Saturdays, this fixture was staged around 90 miles away in Glenrothes.

Fittingly, an evenly balanced first half finished with the teams locked at one apiece. Berwick made the early running with KIERAN JACK prominent. it was he who put Berwick in front on 19 minutes with a great strike following a corner.

As Stirling began to come more into it, striker Scott Miller was stopped by Todd’s blocking tackle. One shot from Miller was punched over the bar by Shea Dowie, another ended a short distance outside the post after Rangers were unable to prevent a trialist no. 7 crossing from the left. Dowie tipped another couple of strikes over his bar—both from Bradley Rodden before JUSTIN WATSON drilled in a 38th minute equaliser.

Four goals in nine minutes put Rangers on the way to near certain victory. A cross from Berwick’s own trialist no. 7 was turned in by GRANT ROSE at the far post. A pass from Rose almost led to a second goal for Jack before Berwick’s number 9 scored his second of the night from distance. To complete his hat trick, ROSE calmly chipped the keeper after controlling an excellent ball from Jack Ogilvie of the type which, up to this point, had been the hallmark of skipper Jack Murray.

Gary Windram set up Berwick’s 5th goal ( 63 mins. ) with a strong run up the left, breaking a tackle inside the box to pass to MARC MALLOY to finish off. Stirling got one back when RODDEN punished the boys in black and gold for playing around with the ball inside their own half. The four goal margin was soon restored though, the unnamed TRIALIST ending a surging run in convincing style.

Berwick Rangers: Dowie, Ashford, McCrorie ( Windram 46 ), O’Connor*, Todd, Murray ( capt. ) ( Currie 87 ), B.Trialist, Ogilvie, Rose ( Briggs 70 ), Malloy ( Purves 81 ), Jack ( Blair 87 )
Unused subs: Smith, Short